


Transition

by bjelkemander



Series: The Black Dog [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 08:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16761973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjelkemander/pseuds/bjelkemander
Summary: Asriel and Frisk go on a picnic.





	Transition

“And... we’re here.”

The car jolted as it crested the rocky hill, tyres spinning and jerking as it came to rest in the clearing. Asriel glanced up from his phone and around the area, smiling warmly. He’d been trying to arrange this trip for ages; while it was only an hour or so up the coast, it was hard to find the time. You’d been so busy with your own work, plus Asriel always had challenges when it came to leaving the house, even if he’d planned in advance. It was good to finally make it.

Asriel wasted no time in slipping from the passenger seat, barely pausing to unbuckle himself as he inhaled the cool ocean air. “It’s so clean.” He murmured, eyes sparkling as he gazed out across the pristine waters. Asriel loved the wilderness; beside your home’s location, dates and outings seemed to skew as much toward hikes and nature trails as coffee shops and movies. It was peaceful, and you knew that made it easier for him.

You meandered across to Asriel, pausing a few feet from the sheer drop of the cliff. If the water had been clearer, and you felt a little more brave, you may have considered dive bombing into the cool, shaded cove below. Still, the rocks toward sea level looked jagged and treacherous, and you didn’t want to give Asriel cause to worry, or worse. Taking his hand, you both stared out to sea in silence, watching for a few moments as the sun began to slip toward the horizon. The sky taking on a vague orange hue, your partner turned to you, smiling blissfully.

“I knew this would be worth the wait.” He said, resting an arm around your shoulders. He stroked at your bangs softly, tickling your cheek; the goat boy giggling as you playfully swatted back. “Shall we get set up?” You both headed back to the car to retrieve the picnic cooler and blanket, spreading it out under the solitary willow tree at the peak of the hill. You weren’t sure how Asriel had originally found this place, though you couldn’t deny it was absolutely gorgeous. The lack of people was perhaps the most surprising element, although Asriel had sent you several miles off-road to get here - thankfully, your car was well-equipped for the terrain.

You flopped down next to your partner as he began to unpack the cooler, preparing dips, sides, and breads for the elaborate cheeseboard he’d earlier decided on bringing. Asriel was overly eager to please sometimes; while you appreciated his efforts, you’d be just as happy watching the sun set with nothing more than him alongside you. He loved the attention-to-detail and delicate arrangement involved though; you suspected he treated it as the culinary version of model building.

The goat looked up at you earnestly as though waiting for your appraisal, already chewing on a small slice of pear. Flashing a simple thumbs-up, you helped yourself to the snacks, idly piecing together cheese and crackers as the two of you sat there, focusing on nothing in particular, simply enjoying the peaceful company. You relished these quiet, intimate moments with Asriel; the two of you together for no other reason than spending time with one another, totally at ease.

It was becoming easier to arrange these rendezvous. Asriel was growing more confident by the day; while he was still far from the proud, cocky deity you’d encountered in the Underground, he’d developed equally far from the scared goat kid he’d reverted to after his fall back to mortality. No longer meekly following in your shadow, he was now often the one to suggest ways to spend time together, and took great care in planning these activities. You really did appreciate it, and you knew it made life easier for Asriel if he could anticipate and avoid emotional triggers anyway.

Asriel sighed and laid back, resting his head in your lap. “How’d I do?” You smiled, stroking his ears and nodding. You occasionally were struck by self-doubt over your approach to Asriel’s shyness - you certainly didn’t want to coddle him. While self-esteem wasn’t among the core issues of Asriel’s condition, you felt as though encouraging him to expand his comfort zone would be therapeutic - at the same time, you wanted him to be able to handle honest criticism. 

In either case, though, you could hardly fault the cheeseboard. Asriel had taken great patience in planning the spread even before you’d left the house. The platter was packed to the edges with fruits, nuts, cheeses, crackers, spreads, dips, preserves, and a few monster snacks of Asriel’s that you couldn’t quite identify. The arrangement itself was just as intricate; each slice of fruit or wedge of cheese positioned to create patterns, frames, and textures upon the platter. If Asriel’s scale models were a science, this was an art.

The peaceful tableau was interrupted as Asriel stirred, suddenly reaching for the cooler. “Oh! I almost forgot.” He exclaimed, smiling cheekily as he produced a bottle of champagne. “Care to do the honours?” You thought for a moment to raise an eyebrow - Asriel had drunk a few glasses of wine the other night, and you didn’t want his medications impacted - but, figuring it couldn’t hurt, grabbed the bottle and began to shred the golden foil wrapping from the top. Asriel shied away slightly, jumping softly as you popped the cork from the bottle, letting it arc widely and fly across the cliff into the seas below.

Asriel held out a glass for you to pour as he settled back down. Moments like this could have barely been imagined even a year ago. Asriel had been a virtual shut-in at that point; though he’d at least come to be comfortable around your house itself. Otherwise, he seemed to be naturally drawn to nature. While you knew he didn’t begrudge the artificial impersonality and constant pace of the urban human world, he clearly thrived in peace and isolation, and the rural wilderness was a perfect fit for that.

The two of you simply lay there in silence as you watched the sun continue its eternal journey toward the horizon. Either occasionally shifted to better accomodate the other, your arm gradually coming to rest tightly under Asriel’s chest. The goat loved to be held, and could easily spend hours wrapped in your embrace without saying a word. You could feel his tension melt whenever he sunk into your lap, secure in the knowledge that whatever may happen or come over him, you were right there to protect him.

As the sun finally met the horizon, you glanced down, realising Asriel had fallen into a shallow snooze. It didn’t seem to be a residual effect of his previous medication - his narcoleptic episodes had all but vanished, and he seemed fairly comfortable in any case. You gently rocked him back and forth as you attempted to rouse him; while it was a slightly selfish act, you knew he was just as excited to watch the sun set as you were. He blinked blearily as he awakened, disoriented for a moment before he recognised you and smiled. 

“Ha... Sorry.” He murmured, shifting himself up into a sitting position against your chest. “Probably shouldn’t be dreaming after eating cheese, anyway.” He grabbed ahold of your hand as you both snuggled closely, the tranquility of the moment returning. It was just one of many barbed, wicked jokes that Asriel had begun to make about his condition; you hoped he didn’t genuinely think of himself the way he spoke sometimes, but it did help relieve the tension of what was naturally a very serious topic.

You kissed Asriel gently as the final radians of the sun disappeared below the horizon, the two of you reluctantly releasing your grip on the other. “I guess we should get this cleaned up, huh?” Sighed Asriel, glancing around at the remains of your picnic. “We should stick around, though... It’s meant to be a full moon tonight.” You simply nodded, getting to your feet to give Asriel a hand - while you were in no rush, you wanted to be able to get home as soon as possible once Asriel had taken a moment to stargaze. It was a long drive back, and you didn’t want to get stuck out in the wilderness.

Folding the blanket and placing it back in the car, the two of you wandered over to the edge of the cliff once more, appreciating the dim twilight that had taken over from the sun’s radiance. All that remained of the day was a faint, indigo glow on the horizon, the world now lit solely by moonbeam and the dotted presence of the first stars and planets. Asriel seemed to be lost in wonder for a moment, glancing between each one as he tried to identify them, before turning to you with a smile.

“There should be a small path near here... Can we go down to the bottom? Just for a bit?” He asked hopefully, pointing over to a small rocky outcrop descending the hill. You nodded in return, letting him lead the way as the two of you headed toward the slope and carefully began making your way down. You were both steady on your feet, and yet you moved tightly together, neither totally sure of the loose surface and narrow track of the impromptu pathway. Asriel gripped even tighter as you began to reach the bottom, the cliff slick and wet from the spray and wash of the rising tide.

You slowly crept out onto the slippery high ground of the waterfront, the large mass of stone and clay one of the few features not yet swallowed by the frothy king tide. Releasing your hand, Asriel headed toward the very edge of the outcrop, squatting to stabilise himself as he admired the surging power of the ocean. “I’ve never seen it like this before...” He murmured to himself, the unbridled chaos entrancing the goat. He barely seemed to notice as you tried to step across the small gap and slipped, world turning black as your head met the rocks.

...

Everything felt... Blurry. It was a strange way to describe the sensation in your head, but it seemed apt. There was a constant ringing, and it seemed as though you were staring into a featureless void of murky dark gray. Textures and patterns danced in oblivion as you tried to stir, grasping and feeling around for something that would give you an indication to where you were. What had you even been doing before this? All you could see was darkness, interrupted by a fuzzy white patch that seemed to be stuck in front of you...

Something in your mind snapped back into place as you sat bolt upright, gasping for breath as you tried to shield yourself from the spray of the water. You braced your arm against your face for a moment, feeling around blindly in the confusion. An unseen force grabbed your body, seeming to cradle you as you struggled to focus through the ringing pain in your head. “Frisk!” Someone cried out, loudly, as if trying to find you in the darkness even though they seemed to be right beside you.

Asriel. You’d been with him before... Something happened? Your mind seemed to remember sensations before events, a sudden sense of vertigo sweeping across you before your body gently came to a rest against the rocks again. Things finally seemed to merge back into focus as you stared up, Asriel staring down at you in a panic. You could feel tears splashing against your face despite the wash of the ocean; your damp clothes clung to your body slightly, dripping with seawater and foam.

Staring anxiously, a small but caring smile formed on Asriel’s face as you came to. “Oh, Frisk...” He sobbed, burying his face in your shoulder. You shakily reached out to comfort him, trying to say something, the words still not able to cut through the searing throb echoing in your head. He winced slightly as he pulled back to catch a glimpse of your head, trying to distract himself by staring deeply into your eyes instead. “Are you okay?”

You weren’t totally sure, but nodded anyway. You were still trying to piece together the last few moments in your head... How long had it been, anyway? On cue, Asriel spoke up, shifting in place to better protect you from the ocean spray. “You hit your head... You were out for a minute or two.” A subtle chill came over you as he touched at your head, your stomach dropping as his fingers came away slightly red and oozy - though you still couldn’t fully make the connection as to why.

Pulling away, you tried to clamber to your feet, only to be held from rising by the young goat. “No, please, just wait a moment... You must be concussed.” He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself, though his wild and darting eyes indicated just how worried and upset he was. “Just let me have a look.” He bit his lip, face visibly drained of its usual glow and colour even in the pale moonlight, as he rotated your head to examine the impact point.

Your mind continued to swim as he assessed the damage, desperately trying to cut through the haze that you might be able to help him in some way. You still weren’t sure of things - you barely could even tell what you should be feeling right now - but Asriel was clearly worried, and that worried you in turn. You had no doubt Asriel could do something - he was a smart goat - but the idea of him having to take the lead, having to take the role of carer upon himself could end up being too much for him.

He sighed in relief after a few moments, the tension arresting his entire body releasing as he checked your head. “There doesn’t seem to be a fracture...” He mumbled, reaching down to wash the blood from his fingers in the small puddles across the rock. “Hold on... I might be able to do something here.” Tongue poking out slightly, he spread both his hands on your skull around where you’d hit it, eyes sliding shut as he took a deep breath and focused.

A strange calm came over you as he chanted beneath his breath, seemingly entranced. Though the haze in your mind remained, its malignancy lifted, the dark, smoky cloud that covered your thoughts replaced by a benevolent sensation of wispiness. Eyes flickering upward, a soft, ethereal glow seemed to radiate from above you, the back of your head tingling as Asriel focused, drawing his hands closer. He gripped his fingers and concentrated intensely for a few seconds, gasping as he released his trance. 

“That should help with the concussion, too.” He murmured, panting slightly as though out of energy. “Ha... I think we’ll both need to help each other back up now.” You cocked your head slightly, confused. You appreciated his care, and you were proud of him for remaining so calm in what must have been a terrifying moment, but what had he done to you, exactly?

He smiled warmly, stroking your cheek, gently as he helped you to your feet. “It’s healing magic... Mom gave me one of her old books a few months ago.” You each wrapped an arm around the other’s shoulder, trying to equally support your weight as the two of you slowly - and carefully - made your way back to the cliffside walkway. “I’m not that experienced with it, but... It was just a flesh wound, so I thought it might help.” You sighed softly as you both made it back into the relatively dry shelter of the cliff, nodding gratefully. “I’ve generated a mild ward for now too... It might help soothe the concussion.”

Asriel hugged back tightly as the two of you began to ascend the cliff, sticking as close to the wall as possible. It was a strange reversal of roles; Asriel having to play doctor and care for you, but it was wonderful to see him react so quickly. He could have easily fallen into a panic attack, unable to do anything beside cry and beg for you to awake, and who knows how things may have ended in that case. You shivered slightly as the ward throbbed against your head - it was like a combined ice and heat pack, reducing the pressure on your brain as it soothed the dull pain of the impact itself.

The two of you remained essentially silent on your ascent, even as the dull roar of the ocean began to fade toward the top. Asriel guided you over to the car, sitting you down beside the tyres, as he stooped to inspect your head now that the ward had faded. “You should be alright.” He said softly as he nodded in approval, taking a seat next to you. “Let’s just wait before we head home, alright? Make sure your head’s clear.”

You sighed softly, finally able to relax now that you were back on solid ground. The peaceful tranquility you’d previously enjoyed as the sun set had returned, though significantly muted by the events down by the water. While Asriel seemed to be calming down as well, he was still lost in thought, staring idly at the ground as he picked at blades of grass. “I-I’m sorry.” He said suddenly, turning to look at you seriously. “It was my idea to go down there... I should have realised it was high tide. We should have just gone home.”

You frowned, wrapping an arm around Asriel to pull him closer as you realised just how cold you were, the wind of the peak chilling your damp clothes. Your head was still throbbing, but there was no way you could blame Asriel for that - it had been a dumb accident, pure and simple. His care had been impeccable, but he didn’t need to redeem himself - you’d have done the same for him, and it made you proud that he had been able to likewise.

Asriel shook his head lonefully, a tear swelling in his eyes. “You’re not always going to be here, after all, are you?” He whispered softly, trying to prevent his emotions from spilling over. You pulled him closer, sensing his anxiety, hoping you could prevent him from slipping into fear and panic. “I’m going to have to learn to take care of myself.” Gulping, he grabbed onto you tightly, collapsing into your lap as he covered his head and shook. “I’m scared, Frisk.”

This was familiar, at least - your concussion couldn’t be that bad if Asriel was starting to think about the situation. He was a brave, thoughtful goat, but one prone to overthinking the implications of a problem - anxious, in a word. It was easy enough to file away as simply another disorder, but it seemed to extend to his inner personality as well - it reminded you of the hesitation to follow Chara as a child that he’d mentioned. You embraced him, letting him cling onto you - he could probably use a few minutes to pause, too; taking responsibility like that must have been emotionally exhausting.

You watched the moon slowly crawl into the sky as you waited, the inky blackness now littered with stars and galaxies as the remaining twilight receded. After a while, Asriel peered up at you, eyes tinged red as he tried to form a weak smile. “Ah... I-I think I’m feeling better.” He said quietly, grabbing onto your jacket so he could raise his head to your chest. “It all just happened so fast.” He sighed softly, leaning into you and facing your upper-body as though he were looking directly into your SOUL. “Y-You’ll still protect me, while you’re here, won’t you? At least until...” You began stroking at his ears to silence him, just trying to distract and allay his fears for now.

Asriel laughed nervously as you scratched away at his head, nearly bleating in protest as he tried to pull away from your rapturous teasing. “P-Please...” He giggled, shaking his head wildly as he flopped down onto the grass. “I guess we should... Just try to get home.” He rose and helped you to your feet, embracing you by your hips. “If you’re feeling alright, that is? We can wait if you’re still dizzy.”

You sighed and nodded, letting Asriel hold the pose nonetheless as you kissed him gently. He squeaked softly, arms slipping lower as you licked at his lip. The two of you held the position for a while, content to simply enjoy the present moment and each other beneath the soft gaze of the evening stars.


End file.
